JACKSONVILLE BEACH, Fla., July 2, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Impacting the lives of military families across the nation, Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation (Fallen Patriots) seeks to bridge the gap in the cost of college education for children who lost a parent in the line of duty.

Beginning July 4, Fallen Patriots is kicking off its inaugural Patriot Pledge crowdfunding campaign in a special season of gratitude and support for men and women who died while serving, as well as the families they left behind.

Since its inception in 2002, Fallen Patriots has identified over 5,000 children who lost a parent in the line of duty and provided more than $9 million in college scholarships and educational assistance. While the impact has been significant, the need continues to grow, according to Executive Director John Coogan.

"We estimate that nearly 20,000 children across the United States have lost an active duty parent in the past 35 years. This represents approximately $500 million in college-related expenses, and we want to help each of those families reduce that burden so that their children can succeed," said Coogan.

Research from The Lucas Group found that many surviving families struggle to make ends meet with sixty percent of surviving spouses earning less than $50,000 per year, making it difficult to affordably finance a college education for the children left behind.

The Patriot Pledge campaign will run from July 4- September 11, 2015, dates chosen to symbolically recognize both the reward of our independence and the price of protecting it. Fallen Patriots seeks to raise $32,000 through the online fundraising platform CrowdRise, where donors can contribute, set up an individual fundraising and recruit family and friends to help them reach a personal goal.

Children of Fallen Patriots Foundation honors the sacrifices of military heroes by ensuring the success of their children through college education. Since 2002, Children of Fallen Patriots has provided more than $9.2 million in college scholarships, supplemental grants and educational counseling to military children who have lost a parent in the line of duty. Nearly 20,000 children from all across America will need future assistance. Help today by visiting fallenpatriots.org.